Award News

Heads up, New Yorkers! Canandaigua National Bank is offering a $300 bonus for opening a new Optimum or e-ssentials checking account. To snag the bonus, you'll need to use the promo code 300SWITCH and jump through a few hoops within the first 90 days. This includes enrolling in e-statements in the first month, and then making sure you have at least one direct deposit AND five debit card purchases in both the second and third months. While the bonus is tempting, remember the fine print. You need to maintain the direct deposits and debit transactions in those specific months to qualify. Also, keep an eye on the monthly fees for the e-ssentials Checking account, which can be avoided by having direct deposit and e-statements. While the effort is spread out over a few months, that $300 makes it worthwhile. This matters to you, awardtrail reader, because it's basically free money! Bank bonuses are a great way to pad your travel fund. Just make sure you meet all the requirements to avoid any fees eating into your reward. If you're in New York and looking for a little extra cash, this could be an easy win.

Proponent Federal Credit Union is offering a $150 bonus for both you and a friend/family member when they open a new account using the promo code Refer2026. The catch? The person you refer needs to open a Membership Savings account (with a measly $5 deposit) *and* another Checking or Savings account. Plus, they need to set up direct deposits of at least $250/month, OR get a Share Certificate, OR a loan product within 60 days. The bonus is paid out about 90 days after the new account is opened, assuming everything's in good standing. This deal is primarily targeted towards employees of specific companies in the ON3 Business Park, employees of Nutley, NJ, members/employees of Holy Family Church of Nutley, NJ, employees of LabCorp and Roche and members/employees of Friends of The Nutley Public Library. The terms specifically state that referrals are for "family member or co-worker," so sharing referral links online probably won't work. Also, you can only refer a maximum of 5 people. Why does this matter to you? Well, if you or someone you know falls into one of those groups, it's an easy $150! It is worth noting that since it is considered interest, you'll have to pay taxes on the bonus. The offer is valid until March 31, 2026, so you've got some time to take advantage of it if you qualify.

Citibank is back with a potentially lucrative offer for new business checking accounts! If you're looking to boost your business's bottom line, you can score a bonus of up to $2,000 by opening a new Citibank Business checking account. The catch? You need to deposit a significant amount of cash and maintain it for 60 days. Here's the breakdown: The bonus tiers range from $200 for a $5,000 deposit all the way up to $2,000 for stashing $200,000. Keep in mind that the return on investment decreases as the deposit amount increases, so weigh your options carefully. To avoid a $15 monthly fee, you'll want to maintain an average monthly balance of $5,000 in the CitiBusiness Streamlined Checking Account. The offer is available in-branch, so you'll need to visit your local Citibank to get started. While there's no guaranteed availability at every branch, it's worth inquiring about. These bank bonuses are treated as interest, so remember to factor in taxes. This is a soft pull. Finally, there's no early account termination fee.

Heads up, Florida folks! Community Credit Union (CCU) Florida is back with a tempting offer: you can snag a **$500 bonus** just for opening a new checking account and setting up direct deposit. This deal is available to residents of Brevard, Polk, Osceola, Volusia, Orange, and Indian River counties. Here's the catch – you need to establish a direct deposit (think paycheck or government benefits) of any amount within 60 days of opening the account and use the promo code MK-CHECKING. But wait, there's more! They're also throwing in a **savings bonus of $200**. To get this, you'll need to open a new savings account with the same promo code, deposit at least $15,000 within 30 days, and maintain that balance for 90 days. The direct deposit needs to be $500 or more per month and continue for 90 days. A couple of things to keep in mind: CCU Florida might do a hard pull on your credit, so weigh that against the bonus value. Also, make sure you're not already a CCU Florida checking account holder (or haven't been in the last year). If you can swing the direct deposit and meet the other requirements, this could be an easy way to pad your travel fund!

Hey awardtrail friends! Dreaming of wandering through Stockholm's Gamla Stan or hitting up the ABBA museum? Well, The Flight Deal just spotted some rock-bottom fares to Stockholm for as low as $390! That's seriously tempting, right? Here's the catch: this fare is likely Basic Economy. That means you'll probably have to pay extra for things like checked bags and seat selection. It might even mean boarding last and not being able to use the overhead bins! So, while that initial price tag looks amazing, factor in those potential extra costs before you jump on it. Also, The Flight Deal mentioned using Matrix Airfare Search by ITA Software to find these fares. If you're not familiar, it's a powerful tool that helps you pinpoint the cheapest dates to fly. Once you find those dates, you can use them to book directly with the airline. Happy travels!